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Tag: Josh Wise

  • NASCAR BTS: Landon Cassill’s Big Ride

    NASCAR BTS: Landon Cassill’s Big Ride

    Finishing top-20 in a grueling race at the Monster Mile on Sunday apparently was not enough for Landon Cassill. The driver of the No. 38 MDS Transport Ford for Front Row Motorsports, along with fellow competitors Jimmie Johnson and Josh Wise, took to another track on Monday, participating in a 102.7-mile bike race.

    This week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes focuses on both of Cassill’s big rides, the first at Dover and the second featuring 10,357 feet of climbing to the summit of Mt. Mitchell State Park in North Carolina.

    “On Sunday at Dover, we kind of battled with our car all day and had to scratch and claw to keep ourselves in the mix,” Cassill said. “We adjusted on the car almost every pit stop.  It wasn’t our best performance of the year but we were fortunate to miss the big wreck and kept going after that. I guess at the end of the day we got the points and the finish and that’s all that matters.”

    “Then on Monday, we got up at 4:00 am and flew from Dover to Spartanburg, South Carolina with Jimmie Johnson on his plane,” Cassill continued. “That got us to the starting point of the bike race at the Spartanburg Auditorium in downtown Spartanburg and continued along the Blue Ridge Parkway. And then the race was up the summit of Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina.”

    “Jimmie actually was the lead guy for us in terms of logistics and putting things together.”

    Cassill was one of about 800 plus cyclists participating in the 41st Assault on Mt. Mitchell, along with several other NASCAR colleagues competing to the top.

    “There were a couple of other NASCAR industry guys, one from the 11 car and one of the engineers from Stewart-Haas Racing, in the competition, Cassill said. “But as far as drivers it was Jimmie, Josh and myself.”

    “Josh beat us. He’s a pretty strong cyclist.  Jimmie got second and I was the third of the drivers. So, I’ve got some work to do and I need to get back into bicycling shape to hang with them again.”

    In fact, Josh Wise finished 55th with a time of 6 hours, 19 minutes and 22 seconds. Jimmie Johnson was not far behind in 57th place with a time of 6 hours, 19 minutes and 34 seconds. And Cassill finished 117th, with a time of 6 hours, 52 minutes and 42 seconds.

    “It took almost seven hours to complete,” Cassill said. “You have to carry your fluids, your food, your gels and everything you need to stay fueled up with you on the bike. I think I ingested maybe 2,000 calories during the entire ride.”

    “And I probably had 150 ounces of fluid, so there were a few potty breaks and a couple stops to refuel. But I probably stopped no longer than 90 seconds at one time. It was a quick stop, refuel, get back on the bike and get back to biking.”

    So, why on earth does Cassill feel compelled to put his body to such demanding tests by racing on Sunday and extreme biking on Monday?

    “Well for one, it makes me a better driver,” Cassill said simply. “You know, it’s a good hobby but it’s valuable to my driving career.”
    “At the end of the day, what we do in NASCAR is an endurance sport. So any type of endurance training I can do to complement that is important.”

    “There is also a lot of training and a lot of work to keep the focus for that long,” Cassill said. “There are a lot of people that took twelve hours to complete the bike ride so that is pretty mentally taxing if you ask me.”

    “That is also what makes what we do so special in a race car as well.”

    In spite of the incredible stress that he put on himself with his two big rides in just two days, Cassill advised that he was doing well afterwards in spite of it all.

    “I don’t feel that bad,” Cassill said. “I think I’ve recovered well.”

    “I haven’t been training heavily the last two months and I signed up for this ride just four weeks ago. I hadn’t really trained for it, so I feel like from a fitness standpoint, mostly from my base fitness that I built up for the past few years, I’m really kind of happy that I got it done.”

    Not only are these challenges good for his racing, but Cassill also feels that he is living out one of his sponsor’s values, that of Snap Fitness.

    “Snap Fitness loves supporting what I do,” Cassill said. “They believe in me and our sport and our fans. Anything I do along these lines, I feel like Snap is all over it. It’s pretty cool to have their support.”

    Cassill did indeed reach the mountaintop in his big ride after the Dover race. Yet in spite of that, he has set a new goal and fitness challenge for himself.

    “I’m going to do a half iron man in Dublin, Ireland,” Cassill said. “So, that will be a swim, bike and a run, so I’ll add that to the cycle training.”

    “This is just a good kick in the pants for me to kick start my new season of training and to set new goals.”

     

  • The Final Word – A fine weekend at Kansas might be a prelude to a similar fine time in Charlotte

    The Final Word – A fine weekend at Kansas might be a prelude to a similar fine time in Charlotte

    It was a fine weekend. Sure, you may think I say that due to Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhard, Jr. and Jeff Gordon coming across the line in that order in Kansas. Okay, there might be some truth in that.

    Our family got together to celebrate a 3-year-old’s birthday, and that was fun. We visited with my mother in her big day on Sunday. I did not actually get to watch the race until about 1:30 in the dark on Sunday morning, thus the rain delay lasted only minutes for me. That was a very good thing. Oh, did I mention the finish?

    This is not to say a good time was had by all. Joey Logano had a hard-charging entry, but a couple of miscues on pit road left him continually having to come back through the field. He got as far as fifth before time ran out. Not bad, but he could have had more.

    For some, running in the Top 30 is a big deal, as it turned out to be for the likes of Michael Annett, Matt DiBenedetto, Ty Dillon, Josh Wise and Landon Cassill. Not Top 20’s, grant you, but good enough for a moral victory of sorts.

    Danica Patrick was a Top 30 car, but 27th is nothing to brag about, especially now that she has tumbled out of a Chase place. Yet, it was better than the days barely tolerated by some others. Trevor Bayne is with Roush-Fenway, a good place from which to race, one would think. Not if 31st is your fate. David Ragan went to MWR, but after a trip through the mud he wallowed in 33rd. Tony Stewart? Well, he looked good early, then he checked up to avoid a mishap ahead of him. Too bad Brett Moffitt did not. He ran into Tony, who then hit the wall, and any hope for a good day went up in…er…smoke. Thirty-ninth is not what he needed.

    Another great day for Hendrick, with a winner and two more in the Top Five, with Kasey Kahne back in 17th. Stewart-Haas had a couple up front, with Kurt Busch getting a Top Ten, while the other two were deep in the woods. Penske had a pair of Top Tens, Matt Kenseth was sixth for Gibbs but Carl Edwards had to be content with 20th. Erik Jones looked great in his debut, at least until he lost it late to kill the car against the fence, while Denny Hamlin’s car went for junk late as the latter pair finished 40th and 41st.

    Another very competitive day for Furniture Row’s Martin Truex Jr., though he had to settle for ninth in the end, yet only trails Harvick in points garnered. That elusive win does not seem too far off. As for Roush Fenway, Greg Biffle was 12th. The rest were outside the Top Twenty. In fact, not a one of them can be found amongst the Top Twenty in the season standings. They can only dream of being as good as Danica, and that is not saying much.

    This Saturday, it’s on to Charlotte and the All-Star race. Winners since the 2014 Daytona 500 right through to Kansas are eligible to run, along with all previous All-Star winners still running full-time, the top two from the preliminary showdown earlier Saturday, and a fan vote for a favorite. Last year, Josh Wise was the beneficiary of a social media campaign, which he no doubt thought was great, though I thought was rather stupid and undeserving. Then again, what do I know?

    Well, I do know I’ll be watching to see if Mr. Johnson can win again at Charlotte and take his fifth classic. Maybe Harvick will be up there. Maybe Junior. Hasn’t Gordon won this three times? Come to think of it, a repeat of last weekend this upcoming weekend might be rather fine.

  • The Final Word – A Lack of Love at Daytona

    The Final Word – A Lack of Love at Daytona

    We have just gotten the season underway, and already we got guys torqued. I mean, some got downright ornery.

    Take the Sprint Unlimited race last Saturday. Joey Logano seemed just a flying fist of fate away from being all gums, no teeth. In fact, the best save of the day came when one of his crew grabbed his driver by the scruff of the neck and dragged his butt out of harm’s way. Down to the final couple of laps, Logano was driving up Kevin Harvick’s exhaust when that battered car tagged the wall. That was enough for a post-race discussion, but when Joey decided to stick his mug into Harv’s face to drop the f-bomb, he was suddenly hauled away. In doing so, he avoided a possible sock-it-to-me moment.

    Oh, by the way, Matt Kenseth won the race, ahead of Martin Truex Jr. and Carl Edwards.

    The next day, NASCAR’s wacky method to determine the front row for the Daytona 500 came into play. Instead of just finding out who is the fastest, we now include cars actually racing during qualifying, blocking to maintain position and to interfere with another’s time, along with jockeying on pit road as to who goes when to take advantage of what. The result is a nonsensical farce just to provide some kind of show for the fans. If you do not believe me, ask Clint Bowyer. He ignored his crew chief’s pleas to leave his smoking wreck to yell at Reed Sorenson, who had tried to block, which caused one hell of a mess. By being taken out early, the best Bowyer could do was record the 41st best qualifying time.

    Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson survived it all to take the front row spots in the Daytona 500. On Thursday, the duels will decided the other 41 positions.

    So, Bowyer is not happy. After getting out of his car to jaw with Sorenson, a rule violation, he could wind up even unhappier. The fact he called the new qualifying format idiotic, saying “It’s NASCAR’s fault for putting us out here in the middle of this crap for nothing,” it is doubtful he has endeared himself to the powers that be. However, among the drivers, he is not alone in that observation.

    If Kurt Busch’s ex is some kind of trained assassin, she must truly suck at her job if Busch can assault her, and live. The judge must think so, too, according to his ruling, ordering that Kurt stay away from her. If she is fearful of mean ole Kurt, she must be scared crapless of Jimmy Spencer.

    Having to go home is a fear for a few on Thursday, but with Carl Edwards securing a spot last weekend in his new entry, all the familiar faces are locked in. Almost. 13 are in, with Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson on the front row. Aric Almirola, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Edwards and Jamie McMurray are in through their qualifying times. Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano get a pass from their 2014 owner’s points, with Tony Stewart in as the most current past champion.

    On Thursday, a Top 15 finish in one of the duel races locks a driver into the Daytona 500. If that driver already has a secure spot, the pass goes to the driver with the most 2014 owner’s points not already in the field. The six with the fewest owner’s points need to race their way in Thursday, with Ryan Blaney, Reed Sorenson, Michael Annett, Cole Whitt, Justin Marks and Ron Hornaday currently on the outside looking in. Those they are hoping to leap over include, in order, Michael McDowell, currently on the bubble, Johnny Sauter, Ty Dillon, Mike Wallace, Bobby Labonte, with Josh Wise the most secure of the bunch. Of course, if any of those bubble boys finish 15th or better in their Thursday race, they lock themselves into Sunday’s field. Simply put, for those high in 2014 owner’s points, it is less crucial to do well on Thursday. For those who are not, Thursday could mean everything.

    Fans of Dale Earnhardt Jr have to love the fact that the next available spot would go to their guy, who has the best total in 2014 owner’s points among those not yet locked in. There is a chance, a very small chance, that Junior could fail to make the field. For that to happen, he would need to miss the Top 15 in his duel, as well as see every one of the 13 drivers currently locked in to finish their race 16th or worse. If just one of them finishes 15th or better, Earnhardt is in, and his fans have to love that.

    Thursday they run the duels, Friday the trucks (except in Canada), Saturday the junior league, and Sunday it is the Daytona 500. What is not to love?

  • Landon Cassill Snaps Into Fitness with New Sponsor

    Landon Cassill Snaps Into Fitness with New Sponsor

    Landon Cassill, driver of the No. 40 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, is snapping into fitness in a whole new way. He has teamed up with Snap Fitness, the first fitness company to be a primary sponsor in the sport, to promote a healthy and active lifestyle.

    Cassill acknowledged that NASCAR has indeed gone through some of the same changes as in other sports like golf when it comes to physical fitness of the competitors, thereby attracting interest from fitness companies as potential sponsors.

    “I feel like NASCAR has gone through what golf went through a few years ago with the Tiger Woods era,” Cassill said. “Golf was always a sport where there was a certain skill that made a good golfer but they weren’t necessarily athletes. And then Tiger Woods came along and he had that skill but added in this layer of athleticism. He started learning how to use his body to his advantage in addition to his skill. He changed the sport of golf that way.”

    “I feel like he changed the game and I think NASCAR has gone through a similar situation,” Cassill continued. “Race car driving is certainly a skill. To do what we do, you have to have a certain skill, but for the longest time you didn’t have to be an athlete to drive a race car. Then you have someone like Jimmie Johnson that came along and he turned it into an athletic thing, focusing on his endurance. He tried to elevate everything that his body can do from what it goes through in the car. And he’s won six championships. So, it’s kind of hard to argue with that.”

    “On my side of it, it’s more of how I look at myself, what I’m doing and how I make sure that I’m doing everything I can to get the best race possible every week. I sleep better at night knowing that I’ve built up the endurance to make it through a 500 mile race without being exhausted.”

    Cassill’s sponsor has also inspired him personally to raise his own fitness level to new heights.

    “For me, I have to find something that motivates me other than just working out so I got hooked on doing triathlons, very similar to Jimmie Johnson,” Cassill said. “And I actually train with him time to time, as well as working out with Josh Wise, who also competes.”

    “When I schedule a triathlon six months in advance, I know that I have to prepare for that race,” Cassill continued. “So, I put myself on a pretty specific training schedule for that time. I do a lot of training Monday through Thursday when I’m at home. And then when I’m on the road, I have some early mornings. I choose to find a Snap Fitness to work out in when I’m on the road or a pool to swim in to get some training in. So, on a Friday evening instead of going out to dinner for two hours, having a beer and going back to the hotel, I go and train for two hours and then grab something to eat.”

    “It’s just a matter of how you discipline your time.”

    Cassill has also married his fitness with healthier eating, a discipline which he has even been able to practice on the road at tracks all over the country.

    “I’m a little different eater than most especially in my industry,” Cassill said. “I don’t eat any meat and I don’t eat any dairy products or animal products at all. It’s just something I’ve done over the past couple of years and have migrated to being full-on plant-based with my nutrition. It’s just a performance thing for my body and it seems to be what works for me.”

    “I have a nice little routine where every time I land at whatever city, I find the closest health food store,” Cassill continued. “There are a lot more than you think. Some of the places where you think it might be hard to eat healthy, like Pocono where we are out in the middle of nowhere, has one of the best health food stores in Wilkes-Barre. It has everything that I need.”

    “One of the toughest places I had this year was in Riverside, California,” Cassill said. “It was far enough out of LA where there wasn’t any of that quirky, healthy stuff. But pretty much everywhere we go, there is a health food store where I stock up. I rarely eat out. But in a pinch eating out, I like Thai food.”

    Cassill also acknowledged that his fitness is essential to not only endure the extreme conditions on the race track but to also stay mentally tough throughout one of the longest seasons in sports.

    “This is a really tough season and we have a lot to endure,” Cassill said. “The biggest thing that has kept me mentally focused this year is the partnership with Snap Fitness.”

    “They came on midway through the year and they planned these races for the later part of the season, Chicago and Kansas in the Chase here,” Cassill continued. “They’ve kept me really busy and driven for sure. They are looking at doing more sponsorship in the sport. They want to be involved and they want to make this work. And they are making me work for it.”

    “I appreciate that because it’s kept me focused. It would be tough if we didn’t have any sponsorship and were set where we are in the points but I’ve got plenty to focus on right now.”

    Cassill’s new partnership has also kept him fit now that the Chase competition is in the second Contender round.

    “I’m just going to focus on my deal during the Chase and focus on my race,” Cassill said. “If the leaders come around and they are going to lap me, I’ll give them room just like I would any other time. It’s more important just to do that. I think the new format is great and we will have the best Chase.”

    While competing in his own way in the Chase, most of all Cassill is driven by his newest sponsor and partner, which is one that fits so well with him and one that he hopes will resonate with the NASCAR fan base.

    “It’s really exciting when they came on board just because it was such an organic fit,” Cassill said. “We get along so well and we have so much in common because fitness and training are so important to me.”

    “They’ve been able to complement my training through this partnership,” Cassill continued. “I do my strength training at Snap Fitness, in addition to time running, on the bike and in the pool. But strength training is the foundation to all that, having the muscle strength to withstand injury and things like that.”

    “It’s been a really good fit and I really appreciate their energy towards this partnership and sponsorship,” Cassill said. “What they are trying to accomplish, I think they have set themselves up to have success no matter what.”

    “Failure is not an option and they are going to make a connection to NASCAR fans, who are the most loyal fans in the sport. They are going to make a valuable connection and they will enjoy their time with us.”

     

  • Hot 20 – The season’s best driver does not always claim the Cup championship

    Hot 20 – The season’s best driver does not always claim the Cup championship

    There is something about having a single win and getting into the Chase. It gives everyone a chance, one that for some would have pretty much been gone in the wind. Kurt Busch is having about as much luck as Danica Patrick right now, but he has his win. If Danica could just get one, somehow, somewhere, she also could launch herself amongst our contenders. It is that simple. Heck, even Josh Wise could make some noise if he could win, and work his way into the Top 30. Everyone in the Top 36, in fact, still has hope, and that might be a good thing. If not, then the debate as to who will be our new champion would be down to talking about no more than nine or ten drivers.

    Using today’s point system, but giving the winner 25 points instead of just 3, the Hendrick duo of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson rise to the top. Yet, should Matt Kenseth take the prize at Pocono on Sunday he would take over the top rung no matter what the other two boys did. Winning has its privileges, and while it is not as generous or as forgiving as the official method, this does offer a truer reflection of who is hot and who is not.

    If you are a sponsor of Carl Edwards, Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, or Kevin Harvick, you should be pleased. At the one-third mark of the season, those drivers and the aforementioned trio have been the most relevant each week, with a nod to Denny Hamlin. He remains close even after having to take an extra week off. Yes, that win does help.

    Being the best over the course of the season has never ensured a driver of a championship, no matter what points system or method has been used in the past. Jimmie Johnson (2004), Ryan Newman (2003), Jeff Gordon (1996), Rusty Wallace (1994), Bill Elliott (1985), Darrell Waltrip (1984), and David Pearson (1973) are just the most recent examples. Come to think of it, I wonder how we would look at Newman today had his 8 wins trumped the single victory of Kenseth in determining the crown that season? How would our perceptions have changed in regards to the likes of Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Terry Labonte, and Benny Parsons?

    While we will watch each week to see if a win can salvage somebody’s season, to witness which 16 will be eligible for the title, and who gets eliminated from contention over the final ten events, we should try and remember the drivers who gave us cause to watch each and every week. Here are the hot 20 who have done just that this season.

    (Win bonus increased from 3 points to 25)

    Driver – Points (Wins)
    1 Jeff Gordon – 483 (1)
    2 Jimmie Johnson – 480 (2)
    3 Matt Kenseth – 463
    4 Carl Edwards – 460 (1)
    5 Joey Logano – 458 – (2)
    6 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 451 (1)
    7 Kyle Busch – 433 (1)
    8 Brad Keselowski – 426 (1)
    9 Kevin Harvick – 417 (2)
    10 Denny Hamlin – 401 (1)
    11 Kyle Larson – 377
    12 Ryan Newman – 374
    13 Brian Vickers – 366
    14 Paul Menard – 362
    15 Austin Dillon – 358
    16 Greg Biffle – 357
    17 Clint Bowyer – 350
    18 Kasey Kahne – 349
    19 Aric Almirola – 344
    20 A.J. Allmendinger – 337

     

     

  • The Final Word – Wide open fan vote to make Josh an all-star was not all that Wise

    The Final Word – Wide open fan vote to make Josh an all-star was not all that Wise

    Vote early, vote often, or so it seems when it comes to selecting the driver the fans want to see. I am talking about the driver more individual fans want to see than anyone else get a free pass to Saturday night’s feature race. If that is not good enough, how about selecting the one who can get more people to vote for him, hundreds or thousands of times each. Such great fans these voters, most of whom are all about voting but know zip about NASCAR. Many would not know the difference between Lee Petty, Leroy Van Dyke, or the Dutchman with the paint brush. Josh Wise got in the Sprint All-Star race, and at least managed to still be running at the end. His sponsor, Dogecoin, got all sorts of publicity, and Danica Patrick, Kyle Larson, and Austin Dillon got screwed.

    Jamie McMurray is not the winningest driver who has ever come down the pike, but he wins those that matter. Not only has he won such name events as the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400, and now the Sprint All-Star race, all of his wins have come on tracks that matter. All seven points race victories, as well as the million dollar exhibition win last Saturday night, came either at Daytona, Charlotte, Indianapolis, or Talladega. You know, tracks that attract spectators, be they in the stands or watching from home. His wins have value…probably worth at least a gazillion Dogecoins.

    Sam Hornish Jr won the Nationwide race over the weekend. How sweet it was to see a junior circuit contest featuring not a single Cup guy. What I do not get is how Hornish, a three time IndyCar champion with 19 victories, has not done better driving these sedans. No wins in 131 Cup starts leaves him in Danica country, but she got the sponsor, the fans, and all he has is three Nationwide victories and a Sprint Showdown win in 2009. I’m guessing he needs longer hair.

    Next weekend is truly the big one in motorsports. Kurt Busch will not be attempting the triple, thus he will not be running in Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix. He will leave that to Lewis Hamilton, who will be seeking his fifth consecutive win of the season. As for Busch, he will be starting 12th in the 98th Indianapolis 500, then winging it to Charlotte for the 65th World 600.

    As we return to racing for wins and points and a place in the Chase, Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick lead the parade with two wins each, but a spot is open to any of more than thirty drivers who can take the checkered flag in Charlotte. Even Josh Wise can do it…but I wouldn’t bet a whole lot of Dogecoins on it.

    1 Joey Logano 2 wins,  346 pts
    2 Kevin Harvick 2 wins,  302
    3 Jeff Gordon 1 win,  394
    4 Kyle Busch 1 win, 373
    5 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 1 win,  368
    6 Carl Edwards 1 win, 367
    7 Brad Keselowski 1 win, 326
    8 Denny Hamlin 1 win, 318
    9 Kurt Busch 1 win, 211
    10 Matt Kenseth 379 pts
    11 Jimmie Johnson  340
    12 Ryan Newman  332
    13 Greg Biffle  328
    14 Brian Vickers  327
    15 Kyle Larson  318
    16 Austin Dillon  306
    17 Kasey Kahne  294 pts
    18 A.J. Allmendinger  293
    19 Paul Menard  292
    20 Marcos Ambrose  288
    21 Clint Bowyer  282
    22 Aric Almirola  278
    23 Tony Stewart  268
    24 Casey Mears  262
    25 Jamie McMurray  246
    26 Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.  240
    27 Martin Truex, Jr.  232
    28 Danica Patrick  213
    29 Justin Allgaier  198
    30 Michael Annett  163
    31 David Gilliland  159 pts
    32 Cole Whitt  147
    33 Reed Sorenson  143
    34 Alex Bowman  141
    35 David Ragan  137
    36 Josh Wise  130

     

  • Why the DogeCoin Car Means More Than Just A Simple “Meme”

    Why the DogeCoin Car Means More Than Just A Simple “Meme”

    When Dogecoin and the “NASCAR on Reddit” community announced their intention to crowdfund a sponsorship for a NASCAR team, some in the sport, myself included, thought it would never happen.

    Crowdfunding in NASCAR has happened before, such as America’s Racing Team, a team that was actually designed to be owned by racing fans. This was a complete failure by all accounts, never even getting a car onto the race track. The cheapest package one could buy, a $300 “partnership,” wouldn’t even cover the cost of a set of tires in the Sprint Cup series. The biggest package they offered, a $2000 “76 Pit Crew Partnership,” would go about as far in Sprint Cup as a Dodge engine would. It has been estimated that it costs about $10 million to run a Sprint Cup team full-time. This means they would have needed, by my calculations, 5,000 people to basically throw away $2000 in order to get a car on the track every year the team isn’t sponsored. And of course this isn’t counting expenses such as haulers and renting a garage to put the cars in.

    But unlike ART, Dogecoin has no intention of starting a team or sponsoring somebody for a full season. Rather, they took a safe risk with one of the cheapest teams in Sprint Cup (Not a dig, but I really doubt the Phil Parsons 98 car was/is as in-demand as the Dale Earnhardt Jr. 88 car), on a track where anybody can make the race or even win it.

    Dogecoin and “NASCAR on Reddit” raised $55,000 to become a partner sponsor for the No. 98 of Josh Wise and earn the right to put a Shiba Inu and such statements as “wow” and “much drafting” on the car for one race at Talladega. Not only did Wise make the race but he performed exceptionally well, running near the front often and getting a lot of nationally broadcasted television time. As a thank-you, Phil Parsons, the team owner, gave Dogecoin the opportunity, free of charge, to be a part of the All-Star race weekend which includes the Showdown, and if the community votes Wise in, the actual All-Star race. When NASCAR announced the top 10 vote- getters as of Monday, many were shocked to find Wise among the 10. Some believe that Wise might be able to sneak past popular stars Danica Patrick and Clint Bowyer to win the fan vote.

    This sponsorship might just revolutionize how many of the smaller teams will approach sponsorship with crowdfunding of cars now becoming an actual possibility. Obviously I doubt they would be able to find enough crowdfunding to sponsor a car for an entire season (Dogecoin would need to raise around 2 million dollars for an entire season), but it still leads to more fan interaction and more attention for smaller teams. Smaller teams are an important part of NASCAR; there are about 15 Sprint Cup cars that are not really affiliated with a big team. If we don’t support them and don’t give them attention, we may end up with four teams basically controlling the sport- Roush/Penske, Hendrick, Childress, and Toyota Racing Development. That’s bad for business and bad for competition.

  • Matt Kenseth Wins at New Hampshire

    Matt Kenseth Wins at New Hampshire

    Matt Kenseth is the man to beat in the 2013; there is no doubt about that. He has now won both chase races with his teammate, Kyle Busch finishing 2nd just like Chicagoland last weekend. This is his 7th win of the season and the 31st of his career. Matt started 9th and wasn’t looked at as a favorite to win the race and wasn’t a factor until after the halfway point. He’s never gone to victory lane at New Hampshire until now and it just so happened to be his 500th career start as well.

    The race kicked off with Ryan Newman on pole but he would quickly be overtaken by a hard-charging Kasey Kahne. Kasey led until the first caution of the day flew courtesy of Josh Wise going for a spin in turn 4. On the restart, Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing teammates Juan Pablo Montoya and Jamie McMurray made contact sending the No.1 spinning. Jamie kept it off the wall though and the car was fine until rookie Kevin Swindell ran into the back of him. McMurray rebounded and finished a solid 5th with a damaged rear end.

    The next incident involved Bobby Labonte and David Gilliland on the front stretch. Labonte’s car was destroyed while Gilliland suffered some front end damage during the crash. Martin Truex Jr. led a bunch of laps before Jeff Gordon took control of the event. A rare pit road mistake by the 4-time champ ruined his race as he brought home a disappointing 15th place finish.

    Late in the race, Kasey Kahne got loose underneath Brian Vickers and smacked the inside wall. He was very upset and didn’t have anything to say when he left the infield care center. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a fantastic restart with 30 to go and rocketed up to 2nd but he gave it all back within a few laps. It came down to a duel between JGR teammates Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch with the 2003 NSCS champion prevailing as Kyle desperately tried to get to him. Track position was key today and when you didn’t have it, you didn’t stand a chance.

    The race featured eleven different leaders, seven cautions and nineteen lead changes. 28 cars finished on the lead lap and five failed to finish. Kenseth, (Kyle) Busch and Johnson have separated themselves from the rest of the chase field and are certainly living up to all the hype surrounding their chase chances. Matt has a 14pt lead over teammate Kyle and Jimmie Johnson faces a 18pt deficit. There’s a noticeable gap back to 4th place Carl Edwards who sits 36pts back. 10th on back are a full race’s worth of points behind the leader and Kasey Kahne is now last in the chase; 71pts back of Kenseth.

    RACE RESULTS

    1.) Matt Kenseth #20

    2.) Kyle Busch #18

    3.) Greg Biffle #16

    4.) Jimmie Johnson #48

    5.) Jamie McMurray #1

    6.) Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88

    7.) Brian Vickers #55

    8.) Jeff Burton #31

    9.) Carl Edwards #99

    10.) Matin Truex Jr. #56

    11.) Brad Keselowski #2

    12.) Denny Hamlin #11

    13.) Kurt Busch #78

    14.) Joey Logano #22

    15.) Jeff Gordon #24

    16.) Ryan Newman #39

    17.) Clint Bowyer #15

    18.) Marcos Ambrose #9

    19.) Juan Pablo Montoya #42

    20.) Kevin Harvick #29

    21.) Aric Almirola #43

    22.) Paul Menard #27

    23.) Mark Martin #55

    24.) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #17

    25.) Casey Mears #13

    26.) David Reutimann #83

    27.) Danica Patrick #10

    28.) Travis Kvapil #93

    29.) David Ragan #34

    30.) Michael McDowell #51

    31.) Dave Blaney #7

    32.) Josh Wise #35

    33.) JJ Yeley #36

    34.) Landon Cassill #40

    35.) Joe Nemechek #87

    36.) Timmy Hill #32

    37.) Kasey Kahne #5

    38.) Kevin Swindell #30

    39.) David Gilliland #38

    40.) Bobby Labonte #47

    41.) Tony Raines #33

    42.) Johnny Sauter #98

    43.) Scott Riggs #95

    – Richard Petty is the only other driver besides Kenseth to win in his 500th start

    – 4 of Matt’s 7 victories this season have all come at tracks that he had not won at until 2013

    – Kenseth is the 12th different driver to win in the last 12 New Hampshire races

    – This is the third time a chase driver has won the first two chase races…Biffle did it in 2008 & Stewart in 2011

  • Ryan Newman Snags Sylvania 300 Pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway!

    Ryan Newman Snags Sylvania 300 Pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway!

    Flat-track ace Ryan Newman stole the show in Cup qualifying with a blistering lap of 27.904 seconds….a new track record! Kasey Kahne will accompany Ryan on the front row with another pair of Chevy’s taking up row 2 with Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch. Martin Truex Jr. was the highest qualifying non-chaser in 5th and Carl Edwards has the worst starting spot among chasers in 26th.

    Ryan Newman now has 51 NASCAR Sprint Cup poles; seven of which have come at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He’s won here three times here and a fourth win is definitely a possibility Sunday (or Monday pending Mother Nature’s plans…). Ryan is well known for his ability to muscle a car around flat tracks like Loudon, Indianapolis, Martinsville and Phoenix. In fact, his last four Cup victories dating back to 2010 have all come at tracks with little-to-no banking.

    Chasers Starting Position

    Ryan Newman (1st)

    Kasey Kahne (2nd)

    Jeff Gordon (3rd)

    Kurt Busch (4th)

    Joey Logano (6th)

    Kevin Harvick (8th)

    Matt Kenseth (9th)

    Greg Biffle (10th)

    Jimmie Johnson (11th)

    Kyle Busch (12th)

    Clint Bowyer (16th)

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. (17th)

    Carl Edwards (26th)

    In qualifying, there was one major incident and that involved Josh Wise who was attempting to make his 4th career start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It appears he broke a right front shock coming out of turn four which sent him barreling into the outside wall. He emerged from the car alright but his Ford Fusion wasn’t so lucky; he’ll start last and in a back-up car.

    Brian Vickers wanted to focus on his efforts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series today so veteran racer Kenny Wallace got the opportunity to qualify the Aaron’s Dream Machine; he clocked in 29th but Brian will have to start at the rear of the field Sunday. He started 13th earlier this year when he won this race. Michael McDowell will be piloting the No.51 this weekend, Bobby Labonte is back in the No.47 and Kevin Swindell starts 33rd in his NSCS debut for Swan Racing. Scroll down to see the complete starting lineup for the 17th Annual Sylvania 300!

    1.) Ryan Newman

    2.) Kasey Kahne

    3.) Jeff Gordon

    4.) Kurt Busch

    5.) Martin Truex Jr.

    6.) Joey Logano

    7.) Paul Menard

    8.) Kevin Harvick

    9.) Matt Kenseth

    10.) Greg Biffle

    11.) Jimmie Johnson

    12.) Kyle Busch

    13.) Aric Almirola

    14.) Denny Hamlin

    15.) Juan Pablo Montoya

    16.) Clint Bowyer

    17.) Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    18.) Mark Martin

    19.) David Ragan

    20.) Brad Keselowski

    21.) Danica Patrick

    22.) Marcos Ambrose

    23.) Jamie McMurray

    24.) David Gilliland

    25.) Jeff Burton

    26.) Carl Edwards

    27.) Michael McDowell

    28.) Bobby Labonte

    29.) Kenny Wallace

    30.) Travis Kvapil

    31.) Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    32.) Landon Cassill

    33.) Kevin Swindell

    34.) Casey Mears

    35.) David Reutimann

    36.) Joe Nemechek

    37.) JJ Yeley

    38.) Dave Blaney

    39.) Tony Rains

    40.) Scott Riggs

    41.) Johnny Sauter

    42.) Timmy Hill

    43.) Josh Wise

  • Start and Park – To be or not to be?

    Start and Park – To be or not to be?

    There has been much talk over the last few years about start and park teams in NASCAR. One side of the argument is – It’s not fair for teams to come to the racetrack, make the field, run just a few laps, load up and go home. At the same time collecting a paycheck that, to us mere mortals, seems like a lot of money.

    Critics also say that when teams do this, it is somehow taking away a starting spot for another team that wants to compete. We have even heard some fans say they do not like the fact that they pay to see 43 cars and they are being ripped-off when two or three pull out and had no intention of racing at all.

    Supporters of the start and park action say – It gives the team an opportunity to earn enough money to start and run a full race in the future with a better prepared effort, plenty of new tires, a fresh engine etc.. Which will in turn give them an opportunity to run a little better and maybe, just maybe attract a sponsor that could someday permit them to run full-time.

    We have definitely had teams that fit into both sides of the argument. Some teams have entered races with no intention of ever running a full race. They are doing nothing more than taking advantage of an opportunity that has presented itself for a multitude of reasons. Not the least of which is a lack of available sponsors that want or can afford to sponsor a full-time Cup Series team.

    Other teams, however, such as Tommy Baldwin Motorsports, have turned start and park races into a full-time race team. TBR currently field cars for Dave Blaney. Front Row Motorsports also fits into this category. They are a small team trying to take that next step. They currently field three cars. Two full-time cars, David Ragan and David Gilliland and one start and park car with driver Josh Wise.

    The team has multiple part-time sponsors that rotate in and out on each car. They were able to taste success earlier this season at Talladega, when Ragan and Gilliland finished one-two respectively.

    The No.35 team driven by Josh Wise had been mostly a part time team this season. The team will be told how many laps they can run in a given event. The idea is to save time on the engine and other equipment so that they may run it in several races before needing to replace or rebuild it. Of course if things are going well, they may be permitted to run longer.

    The refreshing thing about this team is that they are not remaining static. They are constantly working to make the car and team better. Earlier this season, they brought in a new crew chief, Todd Anderson, in an effort to do more with what they have. Results so far have been good. When the team is only running limited laps, Anderson can try things a little outside the box and see if he can hit on something that could benefit the entire team.

    In cases where they will be running the complete race, he can apply the things he has learned and try to get the best finish possible. Two weeks ago at Bristol, Anderson used pit strategy to get track position and driver Josh Wise was able to maintain it for many laps. The No. 35 was running solidly in the top ten until he got together with Kurt Busch and cut a tire. It was a very impressive run for the team and shows that they are making improvements.

    The team will again attempt to run the entire race again this weekend at Richmond. Short tracks are good place to compete due to the fact that aerodynamics do not come into play as much, thereby reducing the need for expensive wind tunnel testing.

    Combining a young talented driver such as Josh Wise, with an experienced crew chief like Todd Anderson, then adding the desire to compete and perform from a great team owner like Bob Jenkins will eventually lead to a successful venture. Using part-time races is another tool available to teams such as Front Row to help them achieve their goals.

    I believe NASCAR sees the need for smaller teams to utilize this when its available. Hopefully, they will not stop it with the rulebook. Things such as this usually police themselves. When more teams start showing up to run full-time, everyone will have to step up their game just to make the field. After all, if it were not permitted, Tommy Baldwin Racing may not exist.